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N.Y. Assembly Democrats Settle on Comptroller

ALBANY, Feb. 7 — The Democratic-led State Assembly dealt a setback today to Gov. Eliot Spitzer by agreeing to elect Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli as the next state comptroller, reneging on a deal it made with the governor to choose only from candidates deemed qualified by an outside screening panel.

The full Legislature voted to make Mr. DiNapoli comptroller this afternoon. The Legislature was in the unusual position of choosing a comptroller for a nearly full four-year term because the popularly elected comptroller, Alan G. Hevesi, resigned in disgrace after he pleaded guilty to a felony late last year.

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The Democratic-led State Assembly agreed to elect Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli as the next state comptroller.Credit
Tim Roske/Associated Press

Instead of a popular vote, or the open process that the Legislature agreed to conduct last month, Mr. DiNapoli was chosen in a closed-door meeting of Assembly Democrats this afternoon. Applause could be heard from outside the door.

Members of the Assembly decided to disregard the screening panel after it recommended the names of three comptroller candidates, and none were members of the Assembly. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said after the closed-door meeting today, “I think the members thought he was the most qualified member, and the most qualified candidate, and they chose to nominate him.”

The decision was a slap aimed squarely at Governor Spitzer, a fellow Democrat, who had urged them until the end to stick with the process they had agreed to. In a letter to lawmakers on Tuesday, the governor said that by ignoring the process and agreeing on one of their own, “you are telling the public that only legislators are eligible to serve as comptroller, and that merit, independence and qualifications do not matter.”